Veronika Kudermetova, the 2023 Women’s Tokyo Open champion has previously maintained affiliation with the Moscow-based Army sports club CSKA during her junior years and it is disputed as when the WTA star ended her association with the club.
Some reports have divulged that Kudermetova still had her membership with the club as recently as 2022. The WTA #16 earlier this season denied having any membership ties as well as any formal association with the military club.
“When I was young, I was practising there,” said in Madrid after queries sparked by a request to bar tennis players and other athletes associated with CSKA from professional sport.
“It was my tennis club – when I was in Moscow I practiced there, but for the moment I am not practicing there.
“I don’t have a contract with them, I don’t have a salary from them – for the moment we are separate.”
The Russian on Sunday overcame American Jessica Pegula to bag the Tokyo Open title in the Asian hardcourt swing.
“Jessica is a great player, she’s a great fighter, and I prepared myself for the fight,” Kudermetova said after her win. “When it was 5-5 in the first set, I just said to myself, ‘Veronika, you just need to fight, you just need to do everything that you can,’ and I did.”
Toray Pan Pacific Open is Kudermetova’s second tour level title with 2021 Charleston being her maiden on the WTA tour.
The 26-year-old has only won three matches in her last 6 competitions before entering Tokyo. However, she got a legit kick following her quarterfinal triumph against WTA #2 Iga Swiatek – her first against the Pole in five attempts – and hinted that she came Tokyo for business.
“I’m really happy because before, it was not an easy time for me, it was really tough moments,” Kudermetova said. “Now I’m really happy and I have a lot of motivation for the next weeks.”
In her 3-0 start to the final against Pegula, the Russian put a 10-point streak courtesy of her powerful groundstrokes. The American fought back to get even on break, but faltered at 6-5 by making back to back double faults to gift Kudermetova the first set.
The potent return game of Kudermetova helped her breeze through second set as she converted her chances on two opportunities to break her opponent’s serve. Kudermetova clubbed 17 winners against Pegula’s 7 to lift her well-earned Japanese dish.